Trunk.



Patented Mar. 27, |900.

s. .y SMITH.

TRUNK.

(Application @led Mar. 29,1899.)

(No Model.)

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PATENT Irren.

sARA BARIIR sMITII, or LIvERMoRE, cALIFoRNIA;

TRUNK.

SPECIFICATION forming para of Letters Patent No. 645,980, dated Marcil 2r), 1906.

Application tied March 29.1899.

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, SARA BARKER SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Livermore, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Trunks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This improvement relates to that class of trunks in which trays are used that can be adjusted in different positions therein; and the object of the invention is to provide a trunk of this character that will be much stronger and more convenient than those commonly used. Y

To these ends the invention consists in the peculiar construction hereinafter more particularly described and then definitely claimed at the end hereof.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical cross-section of a trunk constructed according to my improvement. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same with the top open. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of one of the trays with part broken awaya Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are details which will be more fully described hereinafter. l

Referring now to the details of the drawings by numerals, l represents an ordinary wicker trunk, preferably provided with a cover 2, of enameled cloth or other suitable material. In this trunk isset a frame 3,7of any suitable metal, but preferably of aluminium as combining strength with lightness. At the front side of the frame is set a support 4, preferably of wire, bent as shown in Fig. 4 and which is attached at its top and bottom to the frame by soldering or in any other suitable manner. On the rear side is another support 5 of a different style (see Fig. 5) bent to form a series of rings 5', which support is also attached to the frame. The trays 6 6 to be used in this trunk may be of any suitable style, according to the use to which they are to be applied, and I show one form in Fig. 3, in which the tray is formed of aluminium rods 7 and having its bottom and sides covered with woven fabric 8, of anysuitable material. On the rear side, at each corner of said side, is a spring-catch 9, having one end coiled around the frame of the tray Serial No. 7111008. (No model.)

and preferablysoldered thereto. At the other end are formed a tooth lO and aloop 11. The' tooth catches in the rings 5 before referred to, as shown in Fig. 1, and the loop is used to receive the finger of the user when it is desired to draw the tooth ont of the rings.l The lower end of the loop is passed under the rod to prevent the catch yielding vertically, which it might be likely to do if made otherwise.

Plain flat trays 6 may be used to suit the convenience of the user, so that any desired number of dresses or other articles may be set on separate trays inthe trunk without liability of being crushed or crumpled while in transit.

In setting the tray in place it is held in an inclined position, the front thereof slipped into one of the notches in the front support, and the catches held back by the fingers of the user until the rear of the tray is opposite the proper ring in the rearsupports, when the fingers are withdrawn and the teeth of the catches allowed to slip into the rings,when the tray will be held securely. By reversing the operation the tray may be readily removed.

As the trays are covered with woven fabric it is evident that the articles contained in them may be prevented from moving on said trays when in transit by pinning them'to the fabric. In some cases I may use webbing or tapes instead of broader fabric.

I have shown a wicker trunk in the drawings; but it is obvious that the same style of trays' may be used in a leather, wooden, or metal trunk, in which case I propose to use a support like that shown in Fig. 6, which is essentially the same as that shown in Fig. 5, except that the upper and lower ends are each bent to form two eyes, by which it may be attached to a wooden or other frame.

Instead of the spring-catches other fastenings, such as the clasp l2, (shown in Fig. 8,) may be employed, if desired, for holding the trays in position, and while this vclasp l2 may engage the rings 5' of Figs. 5 and 6 I prefer to use it with a ladder-like arrangement 13. (Shown in Fig. 8.)

From the above it will be seen that I have produced not only a very convenient trunk in which articles of wearing-apparel may be IOO carried without their being crumpled, but also a very strong trunk, as the frame, being of metal, will materially strengthen the same.

The tray and spring-catches herein shown are not claimed specifically in this applica-v tion, as said tray and the spring-catch shown in Fig. 7 form the subject-matter of a separate application filed by me of even date herewith and numbered serially 711,007. In the present application I am claiming the combination, in a trunk, of vertical supports, a tray having one side adapted to be set in a substantially-horizontal notch in one of the supports, and means on the other side of said tray coacting with the opposite support to hold the tray in position, While in my application Serial No. 711,007 I have claimed the trays shown therein and shown in Fig. 3 of this application and have also covered the skele-V ton tray provided With thespecic form of fastening device shown in Fig. 7 of the pres= ent application.

What I claim as new is- A The combination in a trunk, of the vertical supports 4 and 5, a tray having one side adapted to be set in a substantially-horizontal notch in the support 4, and means on the other side coacting With the support 5 to hold said tray in position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature, in the presence of two witnesses, this 27th day of March, 1899.

SARA BARKER SMITIL Witnesses:

G. H. GARDNER, FRANKLIN TABER. 

